Kentucky- Marcello Gonzalez

Kentucky state fossil is the Brachiopod
When the state legislature voted to make it the state fossil in 1986 they didn't specify which species.

Description of organism

Brachiopods are clam like invertebrates that attach themselves to the sea floor. They usually have one Bigger upper-shell and a smaller bottom-shell. Depending on the species the shell are connected by hinges or muscles/tendons. Their hard shells are in most cases symmetrical with a ruffled outing. The common size is around two and a half inches

Most fossils that are being found are close to 250 million years ago but, some have dated to 540 million years ago, although some species still exist till this day.

250 million years ago there was a mass extinction with lead to many of the Brachiopod species to die. Most fossils are found in sedimentary rock by water or where it used to be.

It isn't known who was the first to find brachiopods because they are found in many places all over the world, but in Kentucky it is said that the native american population where the first to find the fossils.

Introduction to the brachiopoda. (1997, July 7). Retrieved from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/brachiopoda/brachiopoda.html
Waggonerast, B. Brachiopods (lamp shells). (2006, October 10). Retrieved from http://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/brachs.htm
Eddkins, K. (2007). Brachiopods. Retrieved from http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/fossils/brachiopod.htm

Parfray, S. (2011). Brachiopods: Fact sheet. (Master's thesis, QueensLand,)Retrieved from www.qm.qld.gov.au/Learning../~/../fact-sheet-brachiopods.pdf